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Mayor Bowser Signs Fair Elections Act to Give Voice to Small Donors in District Campaigns

Mar 13, 2018

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Today, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Fair Elections Act, a voluntary system that will allow qualified candidates an initial grant followed by matching funds on small donations in District elections. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is part of the DC Fair Elections Coalition and testified in support of the bill at a committee hearing.

“Mayor Bowser heard D.C. residents’ overwhelming support for small-dollar public financing and signed the Fair Elections Act. This new program will incentivize District candidates to seek support from a more diverse coalition of citizens,” said Catie Kelley, director, policy and state programs at CLC. “This inclusive reform will draw more voters into the political process and reduce the disproportionate influence of big-dollar donors in D.C. elections. We are pleased D.C. is the latest jurisdiction in the country to opt for fair elections.”

Read the testimony CLC submitted to the D.C. Council in support of the Fair Elections Act, which analyzes the bill’s details, provides recommendations, and uses studies of multiple jurisdictions to show how matching funds programs give candidates a financial incentive to reach out to a greater number of voters.